1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices and methods for decoupling microphones and speakers that are in close proximity to each other. More specifically, this invention relates to devices and methods, which provide microphone-speaker decoupling through the use of an acoustic molded device.
2. Description of Related Art
A variety of different methods and devices have been proposed for controlling the interference between a speakerxe2x80x94microphone pair in a communications system. Generally however, these devices and methods are ineffective with speakers and microphones in close proximity, while other devices require the use of a material or materials, which are difficult and expensive to manufacture effectively.
The reader is referred to the following U.S. patent documents for general background material: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,334,315, 4,546,267, 4,588,867, 4,696,045, 5,164,984, 5,210,792, 5,222,151, 5,228,092, 5,345,509, 5,448,637, 5,497,182, 5,504,812, 5,511,132, 5,521,982, 5,544,253, 5,586,195, 5,606,607, 5,613,222, 5,659,620, 5,664,014, 5,687,230, 5,692,059, 5,729,615, 5,745,579, 5,757,934, 5,761,298, 5,787,166, 5,790,684, 5,793,865, 5,844,984, 5,845,197, 5,875,251, 5,909,490, 5,933,506, 5,999,822, 6,064,894, 6,069,964, 6,085,113, 6,097,809. Each of these patent documents is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for the material contained therein.
It is desirable to provide an acoustic decoupling device, that minimizes microphone-speaker interference in a communication device having the microphone in close proximity to the speaker, which has a channel for routing wiring, provides a strain relief and which is composed of materials that are insensitive to both seismic and acoustic vibrations.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a decoupling damping device for use in a communication system that has the microphone and speaker in close proximity, as described and recited in the claims.
This and other objects of this invention are achieved by the apparatus herein described and are readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following drawings, detailed description and claims.